The first reported sighting of a monster is said to have been by the Irish monk St Columba in 565AD. Columba sent a man across the River Ness after stories of a “water beast” had circulated. It’s said that while the man was swimming, he was approached by a beast but Columba made the sign of the cross and told the animal to “go no further”.

Modern day interest in the beast was largely sparked by a sighting in July 1933 by George Spicer and his wife when they claimed “a most extraordinary form of animal” crossed the road in front of their car.

Surgeon’s photograph

Perhaps the best-known picture of Nessie is the ‘Surgeon’s photograph’ which was published in April 1934, supposedly showing the animals head and long neck. According to the photographer Robert Kenneth Wilson, he managed to capture the image while he was looking at the lake. The image though was exposed as a huge hoax in the 1999 book, Nessie – the Surgeon’s Photograph Exposed.

Question?

The infamous Loch Ness Monster image, or is it?

After careful examination we ask, "could it be an elephant walking through deep waters"?

Lab technician Gordon Holmes claimed he had managed to film the monster in 2007 which he described as “this jet black thing, about 14 metres (46 ft) long, moving fairly fast in the water.” Both BBC Scotland and STV aired the footage at the time which marine biologist Adrian Shine described as among “the best footage [he had] ever seen.”

Nessie was reported to have been seen 15 times in 2018.

Research carried out last year revealed that the mythical creature is worth £41m a year to the Scottish economy.

Irish missionary St Columba is said to have been the first person to spot the beast in the River Ness in 565AD.